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Back The Missing Sister
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. By the same author
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  56. Author’s Note
  57. Acknowledgements
  58. THE BEGINNING

‘Of course, you must know I do,’ he says. ‘But now I am sure you will place our daughter’s needs above your own, as I must too.’

He touches my cheek, oh so gently, and I see his eyes are moist. I decide I must bide my time. Maybe one day, when she’s older, I will see my girl.

‘Have you a photograph of her as she is now?’

He walks across to the bureau and pulls out a folder, then withdraws a single photograph and hands it to me. Now I really struggle to hold back the tears as I hunger for my daughter. She has become the spitting image of me at the same age. I trace the outline of her face with my fingertips. ‘Can I keep this, please?’

He hesitates for a second, then agrees.

I turn to leave but pause and hold out my hand. ‘Goodbye, Douglas,’ I say, and I don’t know why but the poignant look in his eyes tells me I will never see my husband again.

Penguin Books

50.

Belle glanced at Oliver. ‘Did you find an address for the nanny?’

He grinned. ‘What do you think?’

She laughed. ‘You did?’

‘Come on.’ He held out a hand. ‘Better get back to the flat. It’s looking like rain.’

‘Shouldn’t we look for her now?’

‘It’s getting dark. We’re both tired and her business is in Chinatown, not a great place to be at night. First thing tomorrow. To be honest, I need a shower and I’m sure you must too.’

Belle felt damp inside her dress and, yes, she’d kill for a shower but … ‘Shouldn’t we get a move on?’ she said. ‘If she does know anything, someone might get to her before we do.’

‘True. A bite to eat first?’

She agreed, so after a rickshaw ride to Chinatown they entered a small dimly lit restaurant bursting with Chinese folk.

‘Always a good sign when a place is jam-packed with locals,’ he said as they were seated at the last available table.

‘I hope the service isn’t too slow.’

‘Relax. We have time and the Licensing Office is already closed so nobody will find out we know where she is.’

‘Edward told me he knew I’d been making enquiries.’

‘The Land Registry may have let him know.’

‘Why would they?’

‘A man like Edward has informants everywhere. But remember, apart from the familial connection we have no reason to link him to the bomb or to Elvira’s disappearance.’

She thought for a moment. ‘Except for what Harry told us about the Rangoon Intelligence Unit.’

‘True. But a lot of people could be responsible, not only Edward.’

‘Why are you defending him?’

‘I’m not. I’m just saying we don’t know.’